Machine for looping springs.



No. 689,520; Patented Dec. 24, I90I.

L. J SANKER.

MACHINE FOR LOOPING SPRINGS.'

(Application filed May 4. @901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheat l.

Wd-izess'as, E J I 272 wen-tar W *4 r No. 689,520. Patented Dec. 24,I901.

L. J. SANKER. MACHINE FOR LOUPING SPRINGS.

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T1 EXLI- MACHINE FOR LOOPING SPRINGS.

(Application m8 m 4. 1901.

(N0 Hodql.)

LEONARD J. SANKER, 7

tries.

PATENT OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR LOOPING SPRINGS.

SPECKEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,520, dated December24:, 1901.

Application filed May 4, 1901.

T0 to whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, LEONARD J..SANKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Looping Springs,of which the following is a specification, the principle of theinvention being herein explained and the best mode in which I havecontemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from otherinventions.

My invention relates to machines for cutting and forming loops upon theends of helical springs, its object being to economically effect suchoperation.

The said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described, andspecifically set forth in the claims. I

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailone mode of. carrying out the invention, the described means, however,constituting but one of various forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a plan view of a machinefor the abovedescribed purpose embodying my invention. Fig. IIrepresents a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken upon, theplane indicated by the line 2 2 in Fig. I looking in the directionindicated by the arrow. Fig. III represents a longitudinal section takenupon the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig.1 and showing portionscut by such plane in elevation. Fig. IV represents a detail end View ofthe spring-carrier used in my invention with a section of the frameworkof the machine. Fig. V represents an enlargeddetail perspective View ofthe end of such' carrier, showing a spring located in the carryingpocketthereof. Fig. VI represents an enlarged side elevation of the end ofsaid carrier, showing a spring located in said pocket. Fig. VIIrep-resents a detail plan view of the two bending or looping dies usedin my said invention with parts removed, showing a spring having itsends located therein and with the loops in the process of formation.Fig. VIII represents an enlarged detail end View of the mandrel used forfeeding the spring-stock to the machine and a portion of the machineimmediately adjacent thereto.

Serial No. 58,750. (No model.)

Fig. IX represents a detail perspective view of a gage used in my saidinvention. Fig. X represents an enlarged detail perspective view of theend of said spring-carrier with a spring located in the pocket thereofas viewed from the side opposite that from which the View shown in Fig.V is taken. Figs. XI and XII represent, respect ively, side elevationsof the two bending or looping dies. Figs. XIII, XIV, XV, and XVIrepresent end views of said dies,respectively. Fig. XVII represents aplan view of a part of the machine, and Fig. XVIII represents one. endof a finished spring.

Upon the frame A of the machine are formed guide ways a for a cross-headB, which is reciprocated therein by means of a pitman B, crank-disk Bshaft B and driving-pulley B. In the end of said cross-headis secured acarrier-jaw C, to the forward portion of which is fulcrumed an uppercarrier-jaw C, Fig. III. The rear end of such jaw O is provided with anantifriction-roller 0 which rolls upon a surface a, provided and fixedupon the frame A, as shown in Fig. I, such end of said jaw beinglaterally bent, as shown, for such purpose. The forward ends of the awsO and G are respectively formed with longitudinal recesses c and c,which jointly form a pocket for the reception of the springblank uponwhich it is desired to perform the looping operation, Fig. VI. The lowerjaw O is provided with a longitudinal slot 0 at its end, whichintersects the slot 0 transversely, as shown in Fig. V. is formed atransverse slot 0 and c respectively, in which are located dies 0 and 0such dies being made in two parts and being secured by means ofset-screws 0 whereby the two parts of such dies may be laterallyadjusted relatively to each other. The inner ends of the recesses c andc terminate in said dies, the portion of such recesses in said diesforming the spring-receiving pocket. It is therefore seen that the widthof said pocket may 'be varied to accommodate varying lengths ofspring-blanks by loosening the setscrews and changing the location ofthe respective parts of each die to conform with such length ofspring-blank. These two described jaws constitute a spring-carrier andoperate in a manner hereinafter described.

In each such jaw end 7 Located in the path of the roller a is acam a, bymeans of which the outer ends of the jaws are caused to approach eachother at a given point in the reciprocation of the springcarrier, theupper jaw in such operation being alone moved, as will be readilyunderstood from the construction shown. The location of the cam a issuchas to effect the closing movement of the jaws at a point intermediate ofthe ends of the stroke of the carrier.

Projecting upwardly into the groove of the lower jaw (J and so as tointersect the path of the spring-carrying pocket during thereciprocation of the carrier is a plunger D, whose upper surface ismilled or toothed, as shown in Fig. I, the location of such plungerbeing near the inward or beginning of the forward stroke of the carrier.Said plunger is normally actuated so as to cause its uppertoothedsurface to intersect the carrying-pocket, as described, by a spring (1,located in a suitable bore a formed in the frame of the machine, asshown in Fig. II, the upward movement of said plunger being limited by anut and washer d. Fig. II.

A mandrel E, which is of a diameter such as to permit of its insertioninto the springstock F, from which thespring-blanksare cut, as willhereinafter be dcsci ibed, is supported upon the frame at ri ht anglesto the direction of movement of the carrier, the inner end of suchmandrel being located opposite the spring receiving pocket of thecarrier when the latter is at the end of its inward or the beginning ofits outward stroke, as shown in Fig. I The inner extremity of saidmandrel is formed or' provided with one member 6 of a cutting device. asecond member 0 being formed upon the contiguous member of the upper dieC as shown in Fig. V, the said two cutting members being located so asto effect the shearing off of the spring-stock upon the mandrel andextending into the pocket upon the forward movement of the carrier, aswill be readily understood. Surrounding the inner end portion of saidmandrel and concentric therewith is a stationary holding device or guideA, secured to the machinefranie, which is of a diameter sufficient toreceive and guide the spring-stock, as shown in Fig. VIII. Upon theopposite side of the path of travel of the carrier is located a gage G,Figs. Iand IX, provided with an inwardlyprojec'ting lug g, such lugbeing located so as to bring its rear surface g into the transverseplane of the spring-stock, as shown.

The upper jaw C is provided with a central longitudinal slot 0 Fig. X,passing between the two die members located in said jaw, in whichdepends a spring-actuated hanger 0 upon the lower extremity of whichar'ejournaled two an tifriction-rollers chwhich are caused to normallyand yieldingly project into the upper portion of the spring-carryingpocket, as will be seen in the construction shown by dotted lines inFig. VI.

Secured upon a frame and upon each side of the forward portion of thepath of move mentof the carrier is located a looping-die H and H,respectively. Each looping-die is formed with a groove h FigXI, ofvarying depth and width, as shown in Figs. XIII and XIV, the depth beinggreatest at the inner end of the die and least at the outer end thereof,the Width being least at the inner end and greatest at the outer end.These grooves are identical in construction, the one upon one sidebeing, however, reversed in position, as shown in Fig. XII, withreference to the other. At the upper portion of the inner end of thegroove in each die is formed a wedgelike portion 77,, which is adaptedto enter between two convolu'tions of a spring-blank, which may beimpinged upon it. At the lower portion of the inner end of the die H- isformed asimilar wedge h, performing a function similar to that of thewedge-like portion h described. The grooves are located so as to bringtheir outer ends in a plane passing through the axis of a spring-blankin the spring-carrying pocket during the reciprocation of thereciprocating carrier between the dies. The groove-wall oppositethegrooves intersection with the die-surface ismade adjustablerelatively to such surface and consists of a plate 7L2, Fig. II, securedto an arm 71 which is adjustably secured in the die by means of bolts77, formed of two horizontally-disposed plates 7L and h, as shown inFig. XIII, which are bolted together and which secure between them thearm 72 so as to secure the groovewall formed by the plate 71 These twoportions are provided with grooves which jointly form the loop-forminggroove h of the 'die. The one die is mounted upon atransversely-slidable frame A?, which is adjustable toward and from theopposite die' by means of a hand-wheel A thread, and nut, as shown inFig. II. Such adjustability of the die permits the looping operation tobe performed upon blanks of varying length, as is readily understood,the dies C and C in the carrier being adjusted to correspond with thedistance between the two dies H and H. On the side of the carrieropposite that upon which is formed the cutting member 0 is formed alaterally-projecting lug 0 being adapted'to enter the grooves in theloopingdies as the carrier is reciprocated between the latter. The lowerplate of die H extends to the rear of the machine a greater distancethan does the upper plate, as shown in Fi XVII, and such extendedportion is provided with a cam-face 72, contiguous to the path ofmovement of the carrier, as shown.

The above-described device operates as follows: The carrier beingin theposition shown in Fig. I-that is, at the innermost end of its stroke-inwhich position the jaws are retracted, thereby forming a dilatedspring-carrying pocket, the spring-stock being fed upon the mandrel E,such stock is fed transversely The dies are preferably until the endthereof strikes the gage G. The stock is then rotated upon its axisuntil the extremity of the last convolution strikes the overhanging lugg of the gage. Such position is that required for cutting off aspringblank, so as to bring the point of cutting diametrically oppositesuch extremity, 'as is shown in Fig. V. The carrier being now advanced,the spring-stock is received between the jaws and enters thespring-carrier pocket. Upon reaching such position the further advanceof the carrier effects the severing of the blank from the stock throughthe medium of the two cutting members e and c, as shown in Fig. V. Thespring meanwhile disengages itself from its gage as a result of suchforward movement, which causes the gage-engaging end of the spring totwist and release itself, as will be readily understood. The subsequentadvancing movement of the carrier and the severed blank brings thelatter into contact with the upper surface of the plunger D, suchplunger engaging the blank and causing the latter to rotate, therotation being facilitated by the antifriction rollers a", previouslydescribed. Such upper surface of said plunger is of a length such as toeffect.

sufficient rotation of the blank upon its axis and to bring the two freeends into proper longitudinal alinement with the wedge-like portions hof the two looping-dies. In order to properly gage the blank, it wasnecessary to move same one convolution too far transversely, as theposition of the blank in Fig. XVII indicates. This position is changedand the blank brought into proper transverse alinement by the cam-face hwhich moves the blank into a position in which the two wedge portions hmay on the further advance of the carrier be caused to enter between theextreme end pairs of convolutions of-the spring-blank, and thereby openout from the main portion of such blank the extremities thereof whichare required to be looped. Upon reaching such wedges 71 theseextremities are separated and upon passing through the grooves are bentat right angles to their original positions, as shown in Fig. VII.During such bending each loop so formed comes in contact with the platek of the die,which determines the form and amount of opening of theloop. These Walls being adjustable, it is seen that by proper adjustmenta loop of the required form and size of opening may be obtained. Duringthe looping process the cutting member 0 and the lug 0 form a backing atthe point where the greatest amount of bending takes place, therebypreventing the spring-blank from being rearwardly distorted. To efiectsuch operation upon the blank, it is necessary to securely hold the samein the carriage. Such holding or clamping operation is performed uponthe blank before the operation of bending takes place by the cam a whichengages the upper movable jaw, thereby closing the carrying-pocket uponthe blank before the spring dies.

extremities enter the grooves in the bending- Such clamping operation iscontinued throughout the bending process, after which the blank isreleased by,the carrier as a result of the disengagement of the movablejaw from the cam 0. which takes place at the end of the outward stroke,whereupon the finished looped spring maybe removed from the carrierprior to the return of the latter for the next operation.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any one of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention- 1. In a machine for looping springs, the combination oflooping mechanism comprising two looping devices, a carrier having areciprocating movement relatively to said devices, the latter lyingrespectively upon opposite sides of the path of movement of saidcarrier; and means for effecting such movement.

2. In a machine for looping springs, the

combination of looping mechanism comprising two looping devices, areciprocablecarrier provided with gripping mechanism and having its pathof movement extending between said looping devices; and means foreffecting the carrier movement.

3. 'In a machine for looping springs, the combination of loopingmechanism, a reciprocable carrier, means for partially rotating a springupon its axis while in said carrier, means for securing such spring inthe latter subsequently to such rotation, and means for effecting thecarriers reciprocation.

4:. In a machine for looping springs, the combination of a reciprocablecarrier provided with a carrying-pocket, looping mech- I anismcomprising two looping devices adapted to simultaneously operate atopposite sides of said pocket, means for effecting the carriersreciprocation, a stationary toothed surface intersecting the path ofmovement of said pocket, whereby a partial axial rota tion of a springin said pocket may be effected; and means for securing such spring insaid pocket subsequently to such rotation.

5. In a machine for looping springs, the combination of loopingmechanism compris ing two looping devices adjustably secured relativelyto each other, a carrier having a reciprocating movement relatively tosaid devices, the latter lying respectively upon opposite sides of thepath of movement of said carrier and means for effecting such movement.

6. In a machine for looping springs, the combination with a reciprocablecarrier having a spring-pocket, of a stationary pressure deviceintersecting the path of movement of said pocket and adapted to impart arotative movement to a spring located therein during the reciprocationof said carrier.

7. In a machine for looping springs, the combination with areciprocablecarrier having a spring-holding pocket, of a stationary springactuatedpressure device adapted to project into said pocket throughout a portionof the movement of said carrier.

8. In a machine for looping springs, the combination with a reciprocablecarrier having a spring-holding pocket, of a stationary pressure deviceprovided with a toothed surface yieldingly projecting into said pocketthroughout a portion of the movement of said carrier.

9. The combination of a spring-carrier provided with a cutting member,means for actuating said carrier, means for feeding sprin gstock intothe latter, a second cutting member cooperating with said carrier-cutterfor severing a blank from such stock, and means for simultaneouslyoperating upon the ends of such severed blank so as to bend such endsber cooperating with said carrier-cutter for severing a blank from suchstock, and duplex devices located upon opposite sides of the carrierspath of movement adapted to I bend the end convolutions of suchblankinto a loop.

11. The combination with a reciprocable spring-carrier having aspring-holding pocket for securing a blank in said carrier, of means forforming a loop upon the end of said blank during the reciprocation ofsaid carrier, the latter provided with a laterally-extending lug locatedin proximity to said pocket.

12. In a machine for looping springs, a carrier consisting of tworelatively retractable jaws jointly forming a spring-holding pocket, incombination'with means for reciprocating said jaws and for causing themto retract or approach at a given point in their reciprocating movement.

13. In a machine for looping springs, a carrier consisting of tworelatively retractable jaws, each of which is provided with two diesadjustable laterally relatively to each other.

14. In a machine for looping springs, alooping-die having a groove ofvarying depth and Width, the groove-Wall opposite the groovesintersection with the die-surface being adjustable relatively to suchsurface.

Signed by me this 3d day of April, 1901.

LEONARD J. SANKER.

Attest D. T. DAVIES, A. E. MERKEL.

